Accessory for infants&#39; bathing devices



Au@ 10, 1937. a. H. KENNEDY l 2,089,801

ACCESSORY FOR INFANTS-BATHING DEVICES Filed Nov. 16, 1935 A TT ORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 10, 1937 UNITEDl STATES PATENT OFFICE ACCESSORY FOR INFANTS BATHING DEVIC This invention relates to infants bathing devices and has particular reference to an accessory for portable bath tubs so as to provide means for ugporting the infant above the bottom of the The invention broadly comprehends an accessory of the indicated character which is removably supported from the upper edges of opposite walls of the tub and which is so constructed and arranged as to define a flexible hammocklike body or sling disposed within the tub and suspended above the bottom thereof.

The invention further comprehends an accessory of this nature which includes an elevated head rest adjacent one end of. the body. which head rest is connected with the body in spanning relation thereto so as to comfortably BlIDlMrt the head of the infant in raised position.

As a further feature, the invention includes a hammock-like body which, when supported in rest having an edge thereof so contoured as to comfortably fit the back of the neck of the infant.

More specifically the invention resides in an accessory which includes a exible hammock-like body and hooked means engageable over opposite upper edges of the tub so as to removably support the accsory within the tub. Y

The invention furthermore provides an accessory which is so constructed that it may be maintained in applied position and folded with a tub oi'. the foldable or collapsible type and which may be folded to a compact arrangement when removed from the tub.

The invention also provides an accessory which embodies but few and simple parts, which may be economically produced and which is highly emcient for its intended purpose.

With the above recited and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawing in which there is disclosed, `by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention, Awhile the appended claims cover variations and modications thereof.

In the drawing: .A

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a foldable or collapsible bath tub illustrating the accessory supported therein.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough taken approximately on a plane indicated on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on a plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the accessory removed from the tub and showing the same on a reduced scale.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of the means for supporting the accessory in the bath tub.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, A designates generally a. bath tub of the foldable type, which is supported at its opposite side edges by pivotally connected frame members B and C.

'I'he accessory constituting the present invention, while shown as applied to a tub of the portable, foldable or collapsible type, is not necessarily restricted to use in connection with this type of tub, but is also applicable to other types of tubs or bathing devices. The accessory includes a flexible hammock-like body 5 which may be constructed of sheet material, rubberized fabric or any other suitable material, and the opposite side edges thereof are folded over and secured to the body by a line of stitching 6 to provide hems through which extend rigid rods 1, the opposite ends 8 of which are disposed at an angle to the major length of the rods and which ends are formed with hookedterminals 9 adapted to engage over the upper edges of the opposite side walls of the tub for supporting the body within the tub and above the bottom thereof. The rods 1, in addition to serving as means for supporting the body 5 in position, also function to render the opposite side edges longitudinally rigid so as to prevent sagging of the body in a longitudinal direction. As illustrated, the body 5 which is made of a substantially rectangular sheet of material, is of slightly greater width at one end than at the other so that the bight or bottom portion declines from what will be termed the head end lli to the foot end Il. This permits the water to drain from the upper surface of the body 5.

The accessory may be provided with an elevated head rest l2 at the head end l0 of the body 5 as shown, and the head rest consists of a strip of sheet material preferably similar to the material from which the body 5 is constructed, the opposite ends I3 of which are suitably connected to the body adjacent the opposite sides of the head end thereof by a line of stitching I4 or any other equivalent means of connection. The head rest I2A is of lesser length between its connected ends than the length of the portion of the body between the points of connection of the head rest therewith so that when the accessory is supported or suspended within the tub A, Lthe head rest spans the body and isdisposed in eleintermediate its length to comfortably nt the back of the neck of the infant. y

Where thejaccessoryis used in connection with; the foldable o r-'co1lapsible types of bath tubs or bathing devices, as shown, it is obvious that due to the iiexibility of the body i, the accessory may be readily 4folded with the tub without the necessity of removing the same therefrom. It *will also be apparent that due to the lateral ilexibility ,of the accessoryl the same f'may be foldedto a compact arrangement so as to occupy a amount of space for storage and shipment@ In use, it is obvious that the accessory may be readily associated with the bath tub or removed therefrom by merely engaging the hooked terminals 9 over the upper edges of the oppositegside walls thereofv and disengaging the same therefrom.'

In the modied form of the invention as illustrated in Fig. 5, the accessory body 5a is supported within the tub A by means of rigid rods 'la which extend through tunnels defined bythe hemmed side edges of the body 5a. The protruding extremities of the rods 1a are engaged in loops 8a secured to the opposite side edges of the tub body adjacent the opposite ends thereof for supporting the body 6a in spaced relation above the bottom of the tub.

What is claimed is: g 1. An accessory for bath tubs including a nexeil ible hammock-like body, an elevated head rest strip connected at its ends to the body at one end thereof, and rods connected to opposite sides of the body having angularly disposed opposite ends formed with hooked terminals adapted to en- 45 gage over the upper edges of opposite walls of the '50 head rest strip connected to the body at one end thereof, an edge of said head rest strip being so contoured as to comfortably tit the back of the --supporting the body in neck of an infant, and means connected to oppomte sides of the body adapted to engage over the upper edges of opposite walls of the tub for spaced relation above the bottom thereof.

3. An accessory for bath tubs including a ilexibl'e hammock-like body vadapted to overlie the bottom ofthe tub in spaced relation thereto, a flexible elevated head rest strip connected to opposite'sides of 'the body at one end thereof in spanning relation thereto, and means connected to opposite sides of the body adapted to engage over the upper edges of opposite walls of the tub for supporting` the body in spaced relation above the bottom thereof.

4. An accessory for bath tubs including a ilex- .ible hammock-like body adapted to overlie the bottom of the tub in spaced relation thereto, a flexibleV elevated head rest strip connected to opposite sides of the body at one end thereof in spanning relationl thereto, and means for removablysuspending the body within the tub. i

5.v In combination, an infants bathtub having longitudinally spaced looped elements carried by and located within the tub adjacent the upper edges of opposite sides thereof, and an accessory' therefor including a flexible hammock-like body, an elevated head rest strip connected to the body at one end thereof, and a pair of rods to which the opposite'sides of said body-are respectively connected throughout its length, said rods having their terminal ends extending beyond the ends of said body and the protruding ends thereof being adapted to removably engage the looped elements for Supporting the body in spaced relation above the bottom of the tub.l

6.V An accessory for bath tubs including a flexible hammock-like body adapted to overlie the bottom of the tub in spaced relation thereto, a ilexible elevated head rest strip connected to opposite sides of the body at one end thereof in spanning relation thereto, and means for suspending the body within the tub.

7. In combination, an accessory for bath tubs including a flexible' hammock-like body adapted to overlie the bottom of the tub in spaced relation thereto, a exible head rest strip, and means for supporting the body and head rest within the tub with the head rest in spanning elevated relation to the body.

BENJAMIN H. KENNEDY. 

